The Witch of Portobello Page 0,86

mother, aware of the risks she was running, and in the end, that encounter brought her closer to us. I knew she had never once heeded my advice get a degree, get married, put up with the problems of living with someone without complaint, don't try to go beyond the limits set by society. And what had been the result?

By following my daughter's story, I became a better person. Obviously I didn't understand about the Mother Goddess or Athena's need always to surround herself with strangers, or her inability to be contented with all that she'd achieved after so much work. But deep down, even though it may be rather late in the day for such ideas, I wish I could have been like her.

I was about to get up and prepare something to eat, but she stopped me.

'I want to stay here for a while with your arms around me. That's all I need. Viorel go and watch TV. I want to talk to your grandmother.'

The boy obeyed.

'I must have caused you a lot of suffering.'

'Not at all. On the contrary, you and your son are the source of all our joy and our reason for living.'

'But I haven't exactlyo'

'I'm glad it's been the way it has. I can say it now: there were moments when I hated you, when I bitterly regretted not having followed the advice of that nurse and adopted another baby. Then I'd ask myself: How can a mother hate her own daughter? I took tranquillizers, played bridge with my friends, went on shopping sprees, and all to make up for the love I'd given you and which I felt I wasn't getting back.

'A few months ago, when you decided to give up yet another job that was bringing you both money and prestige, I was in despair. I went to the local church. I wanted to make a promise to the Virgin and beg her to bring you back to reality, to force you to change your life and make the most of the chances you were throwing away. I was ready to do anything in exchange for that.

'I stood looking at the Virgin and Child. And I said: You're a mother and you know what's happening. Ask anything of me, but save my child, because I think she's bent on self-destruction.'

I felt Sherine's arms holding me tighter. She was crying again, but her tears were different this time. I was doing my best to control my feelings.

'And do you know what I felt at that moment? I felt that she was talking to me and saying: Listen, Samira, that's what I thought too. I suffered for years because my son wouldn't listen to anything I said. I used to worry about his safety, I didn't like the friends he chose, and he showed no respect for laws, customs, religion, or his elders. Need I go on?'

'Yes, I'd like to hear the rest of the story.'

'The Virgin concluded by saying: But my son didn't listen to me. And now I'm very glad that he didn't.'

I gently removed myself from her embrace and got up.

'You two need to eat.'

I went to the kitchen, prepared some onion soup and a dish of tabbouleh, warmed up some unleavened bread, put it all on the table, and we had lunch together. We talked about trivial things, which, at such moments, always help to bring us together and justify our pleasure at being there, quietly, even if, outside, a storm is uprooting trees and sowing destruction. Of course, at the end of that afternoon, my daughter and my grandson would walk out of the door to confront the winds, the thunder and the lightning all over again, but that was their choice.

'Mum, you said that you'd do anything for me, didn't you?'

It was true. I would lay down my life if necessary.

'Don't you think I should be prepared to do anything for Viorel too?'

'I think that's a mother's instinct, but instinct aside, it's the greatest proof of love there is.'

She continued eating.

'You know that your father is happy to help with this case being brought against you, if you want him to, that is.'

'Of course I do. This is my family we're talking about.'

I thought twice, three times, but couldn't hold back my words:

'Can I give you some advice? I know you have some influential friends, that journalist, for example. Why don't you ask him to write about your story and tell him your version of events? The press